The Beginning of Us (180 page)

If I wasn’t here for Maddy, I’d be lunging across the table to rip that burger out of your mouth
.
You’re lucky you’re a girl.

I figure I can just grab another burger after she leaves, so I just dig into my salad - fucking rabbit food. Swallowing back my bitter mood, I tell her about my new class.

“Yeah, I work out every morning. I won’t lie -- it’s gotten a lot easier to get up every morning now that I get to see a certain someone there as well. But I just started this new MMA class. That’s mixed martial arts,” I explain.

“No need to explain that. Gorgeously ripped guys wrestling around getting all sweaty. Yeah, I’m familiar with the sport.” Her clarification gets a chuckle out of me.

“Anyway, I’m sure Maddy told you about how I lost my shit a few times with her and Logan. I guess I’ve always had anger issues, so I figured it was time for me to be constructive about it. When I saw the sign-up sheet at the gym last week, it was the perfect opportunity.”

“That’s great, Reid, but I don’t get why you’re telling me this. I mean, I know you want us to be friends and all, but what’s really going on here? I’m still not buying your ‘nice guy’ routine.”

“I need to do some digging -- ”

Mel stops me mid-sentence and glares angrily at me. “I am NOT here to tell you about Maddy. Anything you want to know, you need to get from her. Maddy and I do not keep secrets from each other, and I refuse to start now just because you want to know something. I knew you were up to no good.”

“No, Mel, please listen. I opened my stupid-ass mouth the other day about her dad having to chase away all of her prospective boyfriends. Needless to say, it upset her a lot. And then when I was texting with you about where she was, it struck me that you’re her protector in a way.” I shrug, as if that helps to clarify my little story. “I just wanted you to know that I am trying to work on my anger, and I promise that I’ll never hurt her. As angry as I was about the Logan thing, I would never touch Maddy. Never. And I just wanted you to know that. Besides, I think we worked that whole situation out this morning.”

“Um, yeah, about that, you basically called her a whore for being with Logan. You see the irony there, right? Even if she had slept with him, you calling her a slut was epically stupid.” She pauses her rant of insults and I don’t say anything, because she’s right. It seems as if she’s weighing her options here – trying to figure out what to do with me.

She finally decides and says, “All of that aside, Reid, you saving her from that asshole who drugged her drink is proof that you would never want any harm to come her way. But it’s really good to know that you’re not only aware of your issues, but that you’re willing to work on them, too. Well, that’s just a bonus.” She smiles brightly and sincerely.

I feel like I’ve won her over at least a little. “Thanks, Mel. So I know you don’t keep secrets from her, and I don’t want to know anything about her that she wouldn’t tell me herself, but please tell me if there are any other landmines that I need to avoid. It really hurt for me to bring up her parents, and I would go a long distance to avoid making her feel like that again.”

“Her parents are definitely a raw nerve. But if you lost both of your parents when you were ten and had to move away from the only home you’ve ever known to live with someone you’ve never met before, I’m pretty sure you would be raw over it, too. It’s been getting better, though. She’s really been working on it. I think she’s just tired of being sad, and she’s making a conscious effort of letting herself be happy. I think you play a part in that happiness, Reid, so don’t go do anything stupid to fuck it up.” She points her finger at me while arching an eyebrow. Her face is a mix of genuine concern and playfulness.

I can definitely understand raw. Raw and numb, that’s how I’ve felt for the last five years. Losing your entire family will definitely do that to you. I only wish I could deal with my pain the way Maddy does hers. Maybe someday.

Instead of those intense revelations – ones that I’m not ready to share with anyone – I just smile and nod. “I promise. I will try my hardest not to fuck it up. So can you tell me one more thing?” I bat her my “pretty please” eyes.

“Sure, but hurry up about it. I’ve got class in fifteen minutes across campus.”

“So come on. I’ll walk you there. I’ll even carry your books for you,” I offer, and she just smiles a sarcastic little impish grin.

“Yes, I’m trying to be a gentleman. Can I get a little credit?” I pinch my fingers together, indicating how much credit I might actually deserve at this point.

“Okay, fine. It is definitely sweet of you to do this for Maddy. And for us, for that matter. I have a feeling that if you hold true to your word, I’ll be seeing a lot more of you. And it would suck to have to be mean to you all the time.” She elbows me in the side and starts gathering up our trash. I grab her books, and she walks away, laughing a little. I can see why she’s Maddy’s best friend. They’re so alike in so many ways.

“Okay, so dish, Connely. What else do you want to know?” she asks as we leave the cafeteria.

“Well, I’m taking her on a date Friday night, and I want it to be special. So I thought maybe you could tell me something, without breaking your ‘no secrets’ promise to Maddy, of course. Home-cooked meal and rent a movie? Or am I better with a fancy restaurant and an art show, or some shit like that?”

Please, whatever you say, please do not say art show. Please please please!!!

“Definitely not an art show, that’s so not her scene. But there is this stupid video arcade she’s been trying to drag me to.”

“Are you telling me that Maddy likes video games? Maddy, tall, hot, blonde Maddy, loves gaming? Holy fucking hell – that’s awesome!”

“Yeah, she used to love video games when we were kids.  I hated them, so unless I wanted to play, she never had the chance. Bryan told her about it the other day, and she was practically drooling over it, but I so don’t want to go.  I think she’d like the arcade. Plus, you’ll earn bonus points with me. If you take her, then I don’t have to.”

I can’t help but smile and laugh at that. It’s obvious that Melanie loves Maddy like a sister, just not enough to suffer through video games.

“She’d like to chill and watch a movie, too. That’s right up her alley. She’s a huge fan of all those John Hughes films from the ’80s. Pick any one of those, and you’re good to go.”

“Thank you so much, Mel. I mean that. I know it’s her first ‘real’ date, so I want to make it special for her. I want her to really enjoy it.”

“Reid, in all honesty, the way she talks about you lately, as long as she’s with you, she’ll be enjoying it. Just keep that in mind, and have fun. That’s all Maddy really wants. I have to go. Class is going to start in a few minutes. Thanks for lunch again. I’ll see you soon.” She waves over her shoulder as she turns away from me.

She walks into the building, and I feel like I can breathe again. It went well, really well, in fact. I made friends with Mel, and I got some dirt on Maddy – in a non-scumbag sort of way, of course.

A quick look at my watch tells me that I’ve got about an hour before I pick Maddy up from her last class of the day.

It also gives me one hour to figure out who the fuck John Hughes is and go download every one of his movies before Friday night.

Chapter 9

Maddy

I’m meeting Reid in an hour for our first date, and I am beside myself with excitement and anxiety. It’s pretty silly, actually. I mean, I’m almost finished with my first semester of college and I’m getting ready for my first date like some nervous, giddy sixteen-year-old. Melanie is having a field day, however. She told me that she met with Reid earlier in the week to discuss plans for this date. She’s been teasing me relentlessly about where I think we’re going, what I think I should wear – stuff like that. I have to admit, I thought it was weird that they went out to lunch. I was even a little mad at Reid for not coming to me first, but when he was all nervous that night that he “had to tell me something” and that he “didn’t want me to be upset with him,” I couldn’t help but go easy on him. He just wants to make tonight special, and it makes my heart skip a beat knowing that he’s really and truly trying to make this work.

Even though we go to the gym together every morning and he walks me to pretty much every class he can, and he texts or calls every night before I go to bed, Reid hasn’t told me anything about this date. We’ve talked about pretty much everything else, but as far as tonight goes, it’s top secret. So as I stand in front of my closet, trying to figure out what to wear, I am completely stumped. I hold up countless outfits, and while they all look presentable, I don’t want to wear jeans if we’re going somewhere fancy. Nothing about Reid screams “fancy,” but I just don’t know.

I suddenly have visions of Julia Roberts shooting snails across some classy restaurant. I really hope it’s more of a laid-back night. I’m supposed to be meeting him at his house in an hour, and I really can’t figure this out. I’m going to text him. Screw it.

Me: Hey

Reid: Hi, beautiful. You excited for tonight?

Me: Very ;) I know you’re being all “mystery man” about tonight, but can you at least drop me a hint about what to wear? I’m stressing here!

Reid: Babe, you could wear a potato sack and you’d still look gorgeous ;) but if you must know, jeans and a T-shirt will be fine for what I have planned.

Me: Great, thanks – see you in a bit. xxx

Jeans. Perfect. I feel like I can breathe again. I choose my sexy black skinny jeans and a red babydoll T-shirt. A pair of black Chuck Taylor Converse sneakers finish off the casual look perfectly. I keep my makeup simple as usual and leave my hair down in long waves, also as usual. I decide to ramp up the sex appeal of the outfit with a black leather motorcycle jacket. Perfect. I look hot, and when I walk out into the living room, the girls agree. Of course all three of them are home tonight. I don’t think the four of us have been in the same room all week, but they all wanted to be here to send me off.

Sticking her fingers in between her lips, Lia lets out a sharp whistle. “Maddy, you clean up something fierce. How have you kept that jacket hidden from me all this time? I so want to borrow that.” She’s practically ripping it off my body as she speaks.

“I kept it hidden because I knew I would never get it back from you. You know, like my pink top and my black heels and my silver hoops and my Guess sunglasses. Do you see the pattern here, little miss Lia?” I stick my tongue out as I finish my teasing. I love her to death, but she loses shit.

“Reid’s going to go crazy over you.” This is from Mel.

“I freaking hope so. This not knowing what we’re doing is torturing me.” I eye Mel suspiciously because she does know where we’re going, but all she does is make a zipping motion across her lips. I tell her, “Payback’s a bitch, Mel. Just remember that.”

Cammie is up in the kitchen, popping some popcorn for their movie. “Whatever you’re doing to him, keep it up,” she chimes in. “I’ve known him for a while now, and he’s a completely different person with you, Maddy. I actually like him now!” Even she sounds surprised by her new opinion of him.

Lia bounces into the kitchen to pour everyone some sodas. “Yeah, he’s totally different. I actually don’t hate him.”

I can’t help but glare over at Lia. I know he’s acted like a real ass in the past, but it still hurts to hear them talking about him so flippantly.

“Thanks, guys. It means a lot that you see him changing. It’s hard to believe that he’s the same guy I met when I first got here.” I shrug. “I believe him, though, and he makes me happy, so I guess I’ll have to take it one day at a time.”

The girls nod back at me in agreement. If they see the change in him, they most definitely see the change in me.

Cammie walks over to the door when she hears a knock. “I’ll get it,” she says cheerfully. Seriously, is she ever
not
happy?

She opens the door to what I can only describe as the most beautiful man ever. Reid is at the threshold, looking downright edible. He’s wearing an outfit similar to mine, casual and laidback, but there’s something very “bad boy from the wrong side of the tracks” about it that makes my insides quiver. His dark jeans are ripped at the knee, but not because they’re from some expensive designer. I’m pretty sure Reid wouldn’t be caught dead in a pair of jeans that cost more than twenty bucks. The navy blue henley accentuates every sinew on his chest and arms. He is so yummy, and I can’t believe he’s mine.

His face is chiseled and hard – the definition of male beauty. But his lips, oh, my God, his lips are heavenly. I can personally attest to their heavenliness. To call his eyes blue is a gross understatement. Up close, they’re like waves of the ocean, powerful and stormy, but calming and just breathtaking. There are little flecks of gold in the outer rim of their dark blue depths. I could gaze into them for hours.

I take so long drinking him in that I almost completely miss the gigantic bunch of flowers in his hand. My mouth is dry, both from his scorching hotness and the simple sweetness of the flowers, that I can barely get any words out. When my feet finally start to function, I walk over to him and reach up on my toes to plant a sweet kiss on his cheek.